Vehicle rear structure

Abstract

A vehicle rear structure protects a battery unit in a rear-end collision. The vehicle rear structure has a battery unit positioned behind a torsion beam; first and second cross members spanning between side members; a frame member that supports the battery unit; a bridge member spanning from the first cross member to the second cross member, and connected at a rear flange to the second cross member; and reinforcements that are respectively disposed to the side members and reinforce the side members from the front edge to the rear edge of the second cross member. The torsion beam is positioned near directly below the second cross member. The side members slope down to the front from the front end part of the reinforcement.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PENDING PROVISIONAL APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of and priority to Japanese Application No. 2012-151763 filed Jul. 5, 2012 and entitled “Vehicle rear structure”, which is assigned to the assignee hereof and which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD[0002]This disclosure relates to a vehicle rear structure for hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles.BACKGROUND[0003]Hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles that carry a battery for driving the vehicle in the rear portion of the vehicle body are known from the literature. When a vehicle with this type of vehicle rear structure is struck from the back in a rear-end collision, for example, the battery can move forward, contact an appropriate member (such as a suspension member) located in front of the battery, and be deformed or damaged. This vehicle rear structure must therefore be constructed to avoid contact between members when the vehicle is struck from the back (is in a rear-end collision)....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019]With this, the fuel tank and electrical component, which are not fastened to the second cross member, are not held in tension in the vehicle front-rear direction between the first cross member and second cross member. The vehicle rear structure can therefore bend reliably at the position where the second cross member and pair of reinforcements end in a rear-end collision. The fuel tank and electrical component are also protected and not easily deformed in a rear-end collision because they are fastened to surrounding members other than the second cross member.

[0020]Moreover, it is preferable

Problems solved by technology

As a result, the rigidity of the rear zone is increased by the reinforcements and the frame member, and the rear zone is not easily deformed in a rear-end collision.

In the front zone, the bridge member spanning from the first cross member to the second cross member is tensioned in the vehicle

Images